Pens and Palettes
by TheSpawnSpeaks
Summary: Bella gets accepted into one of the most prestigious schools in Chicago. How far her talent will take her, she doesn't know, especially since everyone deems it fit to make her life a living hell. Good thing a certain bronze-haired artist's around to make the school year bearable. All human. Edward/Bella.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:** Bella gets accepted into one of the most prestigious schools in Chicago. How far her talent will take her, she doesn't know, especially since everyone deems it fit to make her life a living hell. Good thing a certain bronze-haired artist's around to make the school year bearable.

**Nope. I'm not Stephenie Meyer, so Twilight? Not mine.**

* * *

**Pens and Palettes**

**Chapter One - Getting In**

**Administrator's Building, Masen's School for the Arts**

As if the dark yellow walls of the administrator's office weren't intimidating enough, the vibrant blue eyes of the blond man sitting in front of me were staring seriously into mine.

"I've read your works, Bella," Carlisle Cullen told me. "They're really good, considering you're only fifteen."

It took all of my strength to keep myself from showing how giddy his words made me. "Thank you, Mr. Cullen."

_I might actually get a shot at this_, I thought. _That'll show mother._

He smiled at me, his teeth gleaming in the light. It just occurred to me how attractive Mr. Cullen was. I hope he wouldn't be my teacher (if I ever get in, of course), because then I wouldn't be able to concentrate on any of my studies. "How long have you been writing?" he asked me.

"For as long as I can remember," I answered honestly. "My father jokes that I've been writing since I've learned how to properly hold a pen. I don't even know how that's possible."

Mr. Cullen chuckled. "Well, your father may have a point. In my twenty years of working for this school, you're one of the most talented writers I've ever encountered, and that's saying something considering we're talking about Masen here."

I bit my lip to keep myself from smiling hugely. The Masen's School for the Arts was known for housing the most talented students, and it's been running for God knows how long. To hear Mr. Cullen say those words to me… _wow_.

"Thank you," I said again. "You don't know how much those words mean to me."

"I think I do." He winked. "Getting into this school is an honor for some, Bella, and I do hope you understand that the Masen scholarship is something to be taken seriously. We don't just give it away to any gifted children; we give it to the _best_."

Oh, no. Here comes the serious part.

"We train children to become the best at what they do, and for years Masen has shown people that the arts can just be as tough as the sciences. We provide students with education for free, and they pay us back by assuring us that they have not wasted four years in Masen in the future."

"Sounds intimidating," I blurted out before I could stop myself.

He nodded. "Exactly. So, what do you say, Bella? If you get into Masen, do you think you could take our vigorous training? Though we provide lessons in academics two days a week, we dwell on the arts obviously. Workshops, outputs, _criticism_… they're part of routine here in Masen. Would you take any of those seriously?"

Like he needed to ask. "Absolutely."

He looked at me for a moment, studying my face intently before moving his attention to my application form in his hands. "I've read your background. I see you get your talent from the famous Renee Swan."

I tried not to scowl at the mention of my mother. "Renee _Dwyer_," I corrected him. "She, uh, just got remarried a month after I filled the application form."

"My apologies," he said. "I didn't know your parents were divorced."

I didn't tell him that my mother left us long ago even before I could reach middle school. It's amazing how I could still love what she considers a passion, considering I've never seen her as a mother figure anyway. I didn't even care when she called me two weeks ago to announce that she married a baseball player named Phil, who she claims "perfect" for her. She said he moved around a lot (the reason I'm not even sure of) and that he was more "spontaneous" and "adventurous" than my boring, old dad, that he proved a better inspiration for writing more best-selling books…

Whatever. Charlie's better off without her, anyway.

"Yeah, I've been living alone with my dad."

"Yet you share the same passion as your mother."

"It's unavoidable. Writing is my life."

"I can tell." He smiled again. "Your father… he supports this talent of yours?"

I grinned. "Of course. He's proud of it, actually. He got me a spot in Forks Daily as one of the staff writers."

His eyes are still on my form. "Ah, yes. You wrote it as part of your accomplishments."

I nodded. "The newspaper needed all the writers it could get. Minors included."

Mr. Cullen finally looked up at me. "Well, Bella-"

He was cut off by the door to his office swinging open and someone yelling, "Dad!" I turned around in my seat to see a bronze-haired boy poking his head through the doorway.

"Yes, Edward?"

"Uncle Aro's here to see you. He says it's pretty urgent."

Mr. Cullen scrunched his face in confusion (and even then he still looked handsome). "Did he say what it was about?"

The boy named Edward shrugged. "He wouldn't tell me. Too grown-up for teenager ears, he says."

Mr. Cullen sighed before facing me. "I'm sorry, Bella, but I believe I have to see what this is all about. My brother Aro can be insistent if he wants to be."

I smiled at him. "No problem, Mr. Cullen." It was getting too intense in here, anyway. I needed a break.

He stood up from his seat and walked to the door. Edward stepped inside to give him way. He was tall, like his father, and now that I could see him clearly, he seemed to inherit his father's good looks. His hair was an unusual color unlike Carlisle's blond one, and his face was more boyish but it suited him well. Now that I could see him clearly, I noticed how bright his green eyes were.

_Green_, like Forks, my home. My favorite color.

He surprised me by talking to me. "You're applying for Masen? Under what?"

"Er, yeah. Creative writing."

"That's cool." He moved to sit next to Mr. Cullen's chair behind the table. "You're going to love it here."

"You go here, too?"

He laughed. "It would be embarrassing if I didn't. My great grandfather founded this school. I'm starting this year. I'll be under the arts. Drawing, painting, that sort of stuff. We won't be under the same program together, but maybe we'll be under the same academic class."

"That is, of course, if I get in."

He smirked. "Judging by the way my father was looking at you, you'll get in. He gets that glint in his eyes whenever he spots prodigy. I saw it today when he was talking to you."

He sounded so sure that I wanted to call my father right there and tell him the good news. "Don't give me any ideas," I told him. "You make me want to call my father right now."

Edward grinned. "You might as well should. My father knows talent when he sees one."

"Thanks, um, Edward."

He took a look at the application forms on Mr. Cullen's table. "Talent needs no thanking…" He paused to read the papers. "…Isabella?"

"Bella," I corrected him, trying not to scowl at the mention of my full name. My mother named me "Isabella" after one of the characters in her debut book. I hate the way she talks about an Isabella and not refer to me. How Isabella made her "famous", how she spends so much time "getting in tune with Isabella"… Isabella this, Isabella that. It would've been awesome if for once she talked about Isabella Swan.

I go by my father's nickname for me, because it's less annoying that way.

"Bella?" He raised an eyebrow. "You do know what it means in Ital-"

Mr. Cullen chose that moment to enter the office. He had a troubled look on his face, but in his defense he tried to hide it. He looked at me for a second before shaking his head.

Oh my God. What was with the look, Mr. Cullen?

Edward stood up from his chair to allow him to sit.

"I'm afraid we have to cut this meeting short, Ms. Swan." He smiled apologetically, despite his worried look five seconds ago. "There seems to be… an emergency regarding the teacher applications. I have another meeting in five minutes."

"Teacher applications?" Edward asked, scrunching his face in confusion. "I didn't know Masen was hiring new teachers."

Edward's father sighed. "I didn't either." He shook his head disbelievingly. "Your Uncle Aro was in another predicament."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Father faced son, smiling sheepishly. "Like your uncle said, the news is not for teenager ears. You'll… figure it out soon enough."

Edward turned to face me. "I don't get it. Do you?"

Uh, what? "Er, no."

Mr. Cullen chuckled. "Never mind. In the meantime, Edward, why don't you tell Bella the good news?"

"Already did." Edward winked at me. "Told you. Congratulations, Bella Swan. Welcome to the Masen's School for the Arts."

**End of Chapter One**

* * *

Hello, there! Welcome to another one of my stories! :)

After "What Would You Do?" and "Seat-Stealing Musician", I decided to go back to writing a normal fic. I know, I know, it's been _months, _and I would be lying if I said I have a reasonable explanation (unless you count school, but, eh) for my absence. Why did I decide to come back? I watched Breaking Dawn again during Christmas, and... let's just say I missed the fandom.

Anyway, if you're reading this because you wanted to know what the hell happened to WWYD, then, um, I'm sorry to say I have the worst case of writer's block (yes, I made the story up as I go. My bad). BUT! If it's any consolation, I'm in the process of writing the next chapter.

And as for _this _story, I was attacked by ravenous power-hungry plot bunnies, and my brain decided that writing this fic will help me get back to my writing. I have gone rusty over the months. Blame school for taking too much of my time.

Anyway, happy reading, everyone! I'm taking the plunge here by posting a story you will hopefully like :D

**TheSpawnSpeaks**


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks to everyone who took the time to read the story :)

**Oh, no. I'm not Stephenie Meyer, so Twilight? Not mine.**

* * *

**Pens and Palettes**

**Chapter Two - Masen**

**Girls Dormitory, Masen's School for the Arts**

I didn't know what it was with me that kept attracting blonds in Masen. If meeting the handsome Mr. Cullen last week wasn't already enough to stun me, I was blessed with a beautiful, hard-to-not-notice girl as my roommate.

If you haven't guessed it yet, she's blonde. And tall. And beautiful (wait, I said that already?). Her blue eyes were brighter than the blue shade of the walls of our room, and her hair came down in pretty golden ringlets down her back. Rosalie Hale looked like she came from straight out of the magazines my friends at home owned.

"Your phone's ringing again."

Rosalie tossed me the phone from my dresser. "Thanks," I said when I caught it. I looked at the caller ID and chuckled, rolling my eyes.

"Let me guess." She smirked. "Your father's calling again?"

I nodded as I pressed the answering button. "Third call already, dad, and it hasn't even been a full day yet."

"Can you blame me?" he answered at the other end. "You settled in yet?"

"Yep." From the corner of my eye, Rosalie left the room to answer a call herself. "I met my roommate already. Her name's Rosalie Hale, and she's really nice."

"Rosalie, eh? You think I can count on her to look after you?"

I rolled my eyes but smiled. Then I remembered my father couldn't actually see me. "Dad, I'm fifteen. I think I'm pretty capable of taking care of myself. But, I don't know. I guess. She saved me from falling earlier when I was climbing up the dorm."

"Exactly why you're a writer and not a dancer."

"I've heard that joke before, dad."

He laughed. "It's not my fault you lack coordination, Bells."

"Dad? I get it."

"Let's hope Rosalie's always around to catch you in case of similar circumstances."

"Dad," I interrupted his laughing. "Did you call for anything besides making fun of my clumsiness?"

His laughter died and was replaced with a sigh. I imagined him sitting in front of the television, on our couch, lonely without my presence. True, I may have felt guilty about leaving him alone at home, but he insisted that my departure was for my future, and that he was so proud of me that I should have nothing to feel guilty about.

What was worse was that I felt like I was my mother for leaving him, but at least I was coming back.

"Just wanted to make sure you're settled in," he said.

"I'm in the process of unpacking. Then Rosalie and I are going to explore the school grounds," I told him, growing excited at the thought of looking around Masen, despite earlier thoughts.

"Be careful, all right?" he reminded me, like the caring father he always was. "I don't want anything bad to happen to you. Chicago is a long ride away."

And it was. The distance between the school and my home was one of the many things that added to my guilt. "I know, dad. I'll be safe, I promise."

"I'll let you get back to packing. Love you, Bells."

I bit my lip to keep the sadness from surging. "Love you, dad."

"Don't have too much fun without me."

"I won't," I told him sincerely, because for some reason I didn't think it was possible. "Bye, dad."

It was a good thing Rosalie came back then, because the thought of my dad would've made me upset.

She plopped herself on the bed across from mine on the other side of the room. Our dorm wasn't very big, but it was enough. Two beds faced each other right next to the door, each with a table and a closet beside it. A small 'fridge and sink were on one side of the room, and a television lay in between the dressers and the windows. A door leading to the bathroom was on the far end. I felt like I was in college, and I'm proud to say I'm actually staying in a dorm.

The prospect of being independent was… _awesome_. Somewhat.

"Oh, good. You're done," Rosalie said once I placed the last of my belongings on my desk. Books and journals (filled with Bella Swan original works, of course) now dominated my side of the room. Rosalie's side, on the other hand, was practically empty save for DVDs which she placed near the television.

Rosalie was in Masen under acting and film. She didn't require a lot of stuff (unlike me), but she brought a lot of her favorite movies from home to help her study some of the characters she might play in the future.

"Wanna get out of here and get some lunch?" she asked. "I heard the grounds have the best places."

I grabbed my phone and stuffed cash in my pocket. "Sounds good to me."

"Here's me hoping that there are cute guys around." She winked at me as she proceeded for the door.

For some reason my mind thought back to a week ago when I met Edward Cullen. I shook my head, as I always do when I think of the administrator's son who took the liberty of welcoming me to Masen. More than once I wondered if we'll be in the same academics class, but I didn't dwell on the idea. We'll be on different programs, anyway, so it's not like we'll be spending time with each other a lot.

But… still. It would be nice to actually get to know my first "friend" here.

It took a long time for Rosalie and I to reach the grounds, mainly because we got confused on which way to go. Masen was a lot bigger than we expected it to be. We soon discovered (the hard way) that there were nine buildings in total: two for the dorms, one for the academics building where regular classes will be held, one for the administrators building, three buildings for the special programs, one for all performance purposes (includes the gym, the auditorium and rooms for gatherings), and finally, the one on the grounds which resembled an open mall. And that's not even including the huge field on one part of the school.

I didn't even think it was possible for a school to be this huge.

I could hardly believe my luck.

Rosalie turned to me once we (finally) reached our destination. "My brother Jasper's here… somewhere. He called me earlier, said he wanted to meet me for lunch. Are you up for that? And don't worry, you're not intruding or anything. He actually invited the both of us."

"If you're sure." Besides, more friends are always a good thing, right? "I didn't know you had a brother. What year is he in?"

She smiled up at me. "He's in his second year, under music. He plays the guitar and writes songs sometimes. You'll love him."

Rosalie led me into a small shop, and the smell of coffee immediately attacked me once I entered. She moved to the corner of the place where I could see a whiff of curly blond hair sitting in one of the booths.

More blonds. Awesome.

"Rose!" Rosalie's brother greeted her, standing up to do so. He turned to look at me and grinned. "You must be Bella. I'm Jasper Hale, the handsome-"

Rosalie coughed.

"-and amazing brother of your roommate over here. Welcome to Masen. Here, take a seat."

"You'll love it here in Masen," Jasper said once we settled ourselves. "It doesn't feel like you're in school at all. That is, if you love what you do, of course. The first week's what's awesome, since we don't start on the academics yet. The school deems it fit for different departments to mingle, and so week one's full of assemblies, parties even, to welcome freshmen."

Rosalie sat up straight in her seat. "Parties?"

"All part of the fun, little sister."

She faced me with an excited look. I scowled at her. "No, whatever it is that you're thinking. No parties for me."

Did I mention how I hate parties? Oh, wait. _That _was obvious?

Any social gathering that included too much noise and dancing was not okay in my book.

I'm a writer; I prefer the peace and quiet.

Apparently, explaining that Rosalie wasn't so easy. "It's going to be fun!" she exclaimed. Jasper was looking on with an amused expression on his face. "Think of all the guys that will attend!"

"You just made it worse for me," I muttered.

"And not to mention the drama," Jasper added. "Don't forget, this is high school now, too. There will always be the protagonists and the antagonists. What better place to meet them than at a party?"

For a writer like me, the idea was too cliche. Can it be helped, though?

"There are bitches in Masen, too?" Rosalie asked, raising her eyebrow.

"Like I said," Jasper grinned mischievously. "High school."

I rolled my eyes at both of them.

"Nah, it's all good," he assured us. "Most of the annoying ones are found in your own department, anyway. Masen tends to join a lot of contests, and so competitions cannot be helped. And since the school houses the best, the rivalry's exciting."

For some reason that made me nervous. The look on Rosalie's face made me know she was thinking of the same thing.

"But you're here in Masen, aren't you?" he continued. "That means you're good at what you do. No need to worry."

"Easy for you to say," Rosalie scoffed.

"How come there are only three buildings for the special classes?" I asked him. "How many departments are there?"

"Six actually," he replied knowingly. "Two departments share one building, which can be a hassle sometimes. There are competitions between departments from time to time, despite the differences of both section. Mostly the arguments are just about which department gets to use the assembly areas in each building, sometimes they just want to prove who's more talented." He rolled his eyes at the thought.

"See that yellow building over there?" He pointed to the tallest one that could be seen outside the window. "It's the biggest one in Masen. It belongs to film and writing. All the huge equipment are in there." He smiled at us. "You guys are going to be in the same building. It should be that way, anyway, since the creative writing department helps the film department make scripts for their shows."

Oh, good, I thought. The thought of being close to Rosalie was reassuring.

"The green building's divided between dance and music. Of course, it's self-explanatory why. The blue building's home to the masters of visual art, arts and photography. See, despite the competition, we're required to work in collaboration with all the other departments."

"Sounds exciting," Rosalie commented, still staring at the buildings outside. "And to think we're going to be here for four years…"

"If you don't get kicked out, of course," Jasper quipped wryly.

That got my attention. "What?"

"You can't honestly think everyone's as committed as we are?" He smirked. "The criticism's too much for some, and other's are just too big-headed to accept any kind of help. Such a waste, really."

"Students can get kicked out for pride?" I asked incredulously.

Jasper shrugged. "Among other things. But, hey, you love what you do, yes? So, don't worry. You'll do just fine."

That didn't sound so assuring in my head.

* * *

Rosalie decided to model the school uniform once we got back to our dorm. She wore a short pleated black skirt and a white polo with a red necktie. She grimaced as she stared at herself in the mirror.

"You'd think for an arts school they'd think of something more creative," she grumbled. She put on the dark blazer that came along with the ensemble and her frowned deepened. "Honestly? I look like someone from Hogwarts."

"No one from Hogwarts ever looked as sexy as you are now, Rose," I snickered. "It's not so bad… I think."

She rolled her eyes. "At least everyone will be wearing the same thing."

"Right," I snorted. "Because you still need an outfit to attract attention. Like your pretty face isn't enough."

She shot me a look and threw the blazer at me. "What?" I laughed, dodging the clothing. "I'm just saying!"

"Whatever." She shook her head. "What's the use of this 'pretty face' if it's got nothing to attract? I haven't seen any cute guys at all."

And, yes, my mind wandered back to a week ago again. Images of a particular bronze hair and green eyes immediately filled my mind.

What the hell, Bella?

Unfortunately, my train of thought did not go unnoticed. "Why are your cheeks burning?" Rosalie asked, looking suspicious. "What did I- ooh. You met someone!"

"What?" I tried to say. "I don't know what you're talking-"

"Jeesh, Bella. I know I've only known you for, like, six hours, but Jesus. You can't lie even to me." She giggled. "So… tell me. It's not my brother, is it?"

"No!" I answered immediately. "I mean, he's handsome, but he's your brother, so…"

"_Tell me_!" she demanded mischievously, situating herself on my bed to face me. "Where'd you see him? At the school grounds? What year is he in? What department is he under?"

I playfully pushed her away. "One question at a time, Rose."

She nearly whined. "_Answer me._"

"Well, aren't you a persevering one."

"_Bella!_"

"Okay, okay," I chuckled. "I've only talked to him once, and that was a week ago when I was being interviewed. I haven't seen him since."

"Go on," she urged. "What's his name?"

"He's, um, the administrator's son, Edward Cullen."

Rosalie laughed. "Of all the boys in this school, you just had to choose a Cullen, didn't you?"

"It's not even a crush, anyway!" I defended myself. "I just… think he's… um, attractive, that's all."

She grinned. "Sure, that's what they all say."

I didn't know what that meant, but I decided to not say anything. "So… what's the agenda for tomorrow?"

She stood up from my bed and walked to her desk where she took a piece of paper. "Homeroom orientations," she read aloud. "Hm, sounds interesting…" then she frowned. "_All students are required to wear proper school uniform. Inspection of wearing the proper attire will be during orientations._"

I smiled apologetically at her dramatic forlorn expression. Yep, she's an actress, all right. "At least no one gets to stand out, right?" I teased her. "Except for you, maybe. I wouldn't be surprised if suitors will come knocking tomorrow already."

"Except if it's Edward Cullen knocking, I don't think he's knocking for me."

It was my turn to frown. "Cut it out, Rose. I don't even know him."

"Not yet," she said, sticking her tongue out at me, before moving inside the bathroom and locking herself in.

I could hear her laughing from the inside.

At least, with Rosalie as my roommate, I could be assured that this would not be a boring year.


	3. Chapter 3

If you're reading this now, thank you so much for doing so! :D

**Oh, no. I'm not Stephenie Meyer, so Twilight? Not mine.**

* * *

**Pens and Palettes**

**Chapter Three - First Day**

**Academics Building, Masen's School for the Arts**

"Damn it!"

Rosalie appeared into view amongst a sea of people, looking between pissed and upset. If I didn't know her I would have been intimidated. Or scared beyond belief. Or be told by my conscience to stay far, far away. The rest of the population made a very good decision by not crossing her way.

I decided to wait until she reached me. By the look on her face, it was obvious we didn't get what we hoped for. "We're not… in the same homeroom?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.

"Afraid not," she sighed, frustrated. "I guess we'll just have to do some friend-making."

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

"I have trust issues."

"First the uniform, and now this," I snorted at her 'demise.' "Will the day get any worse?"

"The worst thing they could punish me with is putting me in a class without any cute guys," she grumbled. I could only roll my eyes at her. If only God answered her prayers so she'll shut up about it. "Hey, don't give me that look. Not everyone's blessed with an Edward Cullen like you are."

"Rosalie? Shut up." I grabbed her arm and started pulling her away from the bulletin boards where the students were crowding. The halls of the academics building were already bustling with people. Of course, as freshmen, we were situated at the first floor. "Which class am I in, anyway?"

"Under some guy named Banner. I'm under Mrs. Cope," she told me as she started looking through the rooms. She stopped when she reached her designated homeroom. "Well, this is me. You think you can go off on your own?"

"Yes, mom," I pretended to be annoyed, then laughed. "I'll see you later, Rose. Try not to be _too _dramatic."

"Bella, honey? I'm an actress. Being dramatic is my life." She winked playfully, waving. "See you at lunch!"

It turns out my class was only three rooms away from Rosalie's. There weren't many people when I entered - even the teacher wasn't present - and I immediately situated myself at the back of the room.

"You mind if I sit next to you?" someone, whose voice was vaguely familiar, asked as I slumped my bag onto the floor. I turned around only to have my eyes widen. "Bella, right?"

"Edward," I greeted him. Seeing him here made it a little bit believable that I was actually accepted into this school. "You, um, wow. We're in the same class."

_Oh, no. Really?_

I almost rolled my eyes at myself. I was a writer for goodness sake; I should not be at a loss for words. What was this guy doing to me?

"That, we are." He grinned. He placed his backpack on the desk to my right. "It's good to see you. I was trying to look for you yesterday."

What? "You were? Why?"

He shrugged. "I don't know," he laughed. "We're friends, aren't we? Do I need a reason to seek you out?"

I shook my head, chuckling. "You got me." I sat down on my seat, inclining myself to face him. "It's good to see, you know, a familiar face."

"Tell me about it." He discreetly looked around the room and seemed to sigh in relief at what he saw. "Some of the people here… they can be, uh, a little annoying."

"Annoying how?"

He shot me a sheepish look. "You don't want to know," he said, but his cheeks burned and he was biting his bottom lip like he was trying to stop a grimace from forming. I'd know that look anywhere. I see it on my father's face every time I tease him. I almost laughed out loud.

"Oh, I get it," I snickered. "Someone's already a campus crush."

His eyes widened, horrified. "Don't say that."

"Why not?" I countered him, still grinning. "It's true, isn't it?"

And as if to prove my point, two new girls entered the room, spotted Edward at the back, and giggled at the sight of him. Of course, ever the teenage girls, they started whispering among themselves. Because, as it is, Edward Cullen was not easy to ignore.

I looked at him knowingly and he only scowled at me, diverting his gaze from the obvious attention he was receiving. "I _hate _attention," he mumbled.

A thing we have in common, Mr. Cullen.

There were about twenty people in one class, and by this time almost every desk was occupied. A teacher who looked to be in his mid-thirties entered the room. He was tall and lanky, with dark curly hair and square glasses over his eyes, and the only thing he had in his hands was a clipboard. He walked straight to the middle of the classroom and situated himself on the teacher's table.

"All right," he started. "Hello there, freshmen. My name's Michael Banner, but to you my name won't matter anyway. First things first, welcome to Masen, and I know you're all here for your talent in the arts, but that doesn't mean you'll abandon your academic studies entirely."

He grinned, almost mockingly, at us. "That being said, I'll be your homeroom adviser for the rest of the year, and I'll also be the one teaching you the non-important stuff, at least, to you students, anyway."

"So…" he said to the growing silence of the room. "I'll start with the attendance here. And while I'm at it, remember the names that goes with the faces of your classmates. It helps, really. Adams, Genevieve?"

As expected, the name "Cullen, Edward" did not go unnoticed by everyone. Not only was he the administrator's son (I guess everyone knew Carlisle Cullen from the interview), but he had the good looks that just caught people's attention. Most of my classmates were apparently excited (and "honored," I heard one student say) at the thought of being in the same homeroom as Edward.

Why this was, I didn't know. I kept forgetting that everyone in this room are actually just fifteen (including me), and that…well, we're not exactly mature in both thoughts and actions, are we?

"Well, wasn't that just ridiculous?" I heard Edward complain once Mr. Banner finally dismissed us for the morning. We were expected in an hour after lunch for our afternoon sessions where Mr. Banner will be announcing our class schedules.

"What was?" was all I could manage to say. I think I was a little surprised he chose to walk with me to the cafeteria.

"You-know-what. The attention."

I smiled slightly at his frustration at such a simple thing. "Can it be helped, though? Need I remind you that you're Edward Cullen?"

He sighed. "I suppose you don't have to."

I didn't say anything further. The poor guy was stressing on his first day just because he wanted a little bit of normalcy and peace, and all because he was the administrator's son and a descendant of the founder of the school.

We reached the cafeteria at this point. Edward pushed one of the huge double doors open, and I was met by a sense of familiarity. As fancy as Masen was, the cafeteria looked like a normal one, unlike those you see in movies wherein the private school's lunchroom looked more of a restaurant. In fact, the cafeteria I was facing now looked like the one back in Forks, only bigger.

For some reason that made me feel a little bit easier.

"Would you like to come sit with me and my roommate, Edward?" He might've had friends of his own, but there was nothing wrong with offering, right? It was practically protocol. "Unless, of course, you already have plans with someone else-"

"Can I?" he interrupted me. "I mean, I might be intruding or something, but honestly the only people who have approached me so far are those who asked me what it was like to be Carlisle Cullen's son." He rolled his eyes. "It's not exactly friend-material if the first thing they ask you is your social status."

I smiled apologetically at him. "Come on, I see my friend Rosalie over there."

I led him to the corner of the room where Rosalie was sitting on one of the far-end tables. As soon as she saw me, she grinned, but her face turned into one of confusion once she saw Edward trailing behind me.

"Hey, Bella," she greeted me, ignoring Edward for the time-being. "How was Mr. Banner?"

"Bearable," I replied. "And Mrs. Cope?"

"Eh, I've had worse teachers." She shrugged before finally acknowledging the man beside me. "Oh, hey. Who's this?"

I shot her a bit of a warning glance, remembering our past conversations, before smiling at Edward. "This is Edward. He's in my class. Edward, this is Rosalie, my roommate. Do you mind if he sits with us?"

Rosalie raised her eyebrow at me for a split second, registering what the name implied. _Edward, huh?_, she seemed to be saying. Of course, ever the actress, she hid her remark immediately and grinned at him. "Of course not. The more the merrier. Hi, Edward."

The look of relief on Edward's face was almost funny if I didn't think his predicament was a bit sad. "Thanks," he said, placing his bag on a chair and waiting for me to do the same thing before moving to the lunch line.

One of the many awesome things in Masen? The service. It was pretty damn fast, and for once, a lunch lady actually smiled at me. It was only a few minutes after we lined up that we were going back to our table.

"I see you made a friend," Rosalie casually gestured to Edward once we settled into our seat. "Lucky you."

Edward looked at me in confusion.

"Rosalie has trust issues," I informed him, amused.

"You trusted me pretty easily," he commented, glancing at her.

I swore I could hear Rosalie snort under her breath. "Well, you're Bella's _friend_, aren't you?" She made it a point to smirk at me. "Bella does know how to choose the right _friends_, right, B?"

I wish the glare I sent her was enough to scare her to shut up, but she only laughed. I didn't even know what the hell she was trying to do.

Thankfully Edward seemed to go along whatever she was saying. "Oh, yeah. I actually met Bella a week ago," he told her. "I considered her my first friend in Masen."

"Wow. So you thought about Bella a lot then."

I kicked her under the table. She only bit into her apple.

Edward looked at me and smiled. "To be honest, she wasn't that easy to forget."

The victorious look on Rosalie's face was almost as epic as the color that was starting to form in my cheeks.

This was going to be a long lunch break.

* * *

The afternoon session with Mr. Banner didn't take very long. He only told us of the basics of the class: that academic classes were only for two days a week (creative writing for three days!), and that formal sessions will start next week, much to the happiness of everybody.

Rosalie's class wasn't dismissed yet when I passed by their room. I was left pondering over what to do while I waited when I felt someone approach me.

It was Edward, and the fact that he wanted to talk to me still somewhat surprised me. "Rosalie's not out yet, huh?"

"Yup," I sighed. "Which leaves me nowhere to go for the meantime."

He paused for a moment, then grinned. "Hey, you like to read and write and stuff like that, right?"

"Yeah…" I answered slowly, not sure where this conversation was going.

"Have you seen the library here in Masen? We've got a huge selection of books here, and there's actually this area where not a lot of people get access to…"

"Edward?" I laughed. "You had me at 'library.' Lead the way."

That was the only invitation he needed. He slung his backpack higher on his shoulder and gestured for me to follow his lead. It took us a few minutes to get to the library, which was situated on the third floor of the building. There were only a few students inside, much to my relief. It took a while to not get intimidated by the people here in Masen.

Once I stepped inside I almost didn't want to leave. The familiar scent of books reminded me I was home. Rows and rows of bookshelves were right in front of me, and I swore to God I found my safe haven in Masen.

Edward surprised me by taking my hand and dragging me to what looked like the second floor of the place. "Come on," he said. "I've got a key to the restricted section. I think you'll like the books there."

"Why do you have… You know what? Never mind."

"Well, being the administrator's son has got to have its perks sometimes. Otherwise, it would have been lame altogether."

We stopped in front of a door, and Edward produced a silver key attached to a red strap. He slid the key into its lock and opened the door to reveal a dark room.

Edward switched on the lights and I moved closer to the shelves. The books looked old and worn, but from the titles alone it was obvious that the room was filled with classics. Names ranged from Shakespear to Bronte, the titles bearing the word "original" on them.

I swore my jaw hit the ground. "Wow."

"You can keep the key if you want. You'll find it more useful than I will."

I spun around to face him. "And what will I say if they caught me bearing it?"

"Tell them you got it from me."

I snorted. "Right. Because that makes total sense." I turned my attention back to the books around me. "This is amazing, Edward. Thank you for sharing this with me."

He walked over to where I was standing and grabbed a book from the shelves. "Well? What are you waiting for? Feel free to look around."

I didn't tell him that it was probably a bad idea showing me this place, because by then we would be stuck here for hours.

But he didn't seem to mind. He let me enjoy my amazement.

It was only after an hour later that I remembered Rosalie.

Now how do I tell her I spent the whole afternoon with Edward Cullen without making her have thoughts that are far from innocent?

On second thought, never mind. We are talking about Rosalie, after all.

It would be impossible, anyway.


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who is reading this story! :) Thank you most especially to my reviewers, **muzaklover**, **alicelover520**, **browneyedgurl790**, **prithiva. s****harma**, and **Regzi94**! Your words made me smile!

**Oh, no. I'm not Stephenie Meyer, so Twilight? Not mine.**

* * *

**Pens and Palettes**

**Chapter Four - Not To Worry**

**Girls Dormitory, Masen's School for the Arts**

"Rose!" I managed to say once I entered our dorm. "I am so sor- What are you doing?"

She was hunched over her laptop, sitting cross-legged on her bed. She didn't change out of her uniform yet, and her bag was lying half-open on the floor. A look of pure concentration was written on her face. I didn't even think she heard me walk in.

I sat on her bed to peer over her shoulder. "What are you doing?" I asked again.

"Stalking some guy I met earlier," she said simply. "Trying to see if I could get into the school files."

I stood up once I heard this, rolling my eyes. "You better be kidding." I placed my bag on my desk before grabbing the book inside of it. I situated myself on the bed, flipping through the pages of _Wuthering Heights. _

Of course, we all know where I got it.

"You've been to the library, I see," Rosalie commented a few minutes later. "With Edward, I assume?"

"I was waiting for you and lost track of my time," I explained sheepishly. "Sorry."

"Nah." She shook her head, grinning mischievously. "I forgive you since you were, after all, executing your plans to conquer your man."

"You're delusional," I replied, eyes still on the book, even though I couldn't concentrate on the words anymore. "How many times do I have to remind you that I don't like _like _him?"

"You're just saying that."

"Pretty sure I know what I'm talking about."

"Doesn't look like it."

"Rosalie?" I finally looked up. "I don't know how many times I'm going to say this to you, but please, for our sanity: shut up."

She laughed. "Even you know that's impossible."

"Oh, right. How selfish of me to forget."

She snorted as she turned her attention back to her laptop. "Ever the sarcastic one."

"Which guy are you to trying traumatize by stalking, anyway?" I teased her.

"I was kidding," she laughed. "I was trying to see if I could find out who's in charge of the film department. So far I've ended up in the school website…Oh, here. Jonathan McCarty and Sarah Jameson."

That perked my attention. "What does it say about creative writing?"

She focused on the screen before frowning. "It's blank."

"What?" I propped myself up on the bed. "What do you mean it's blank?"

"It says teacher applications are in order," she read aloud. "Huh."

"Well, they can't possibly leave us without a teacher for orientations tomorrow," I said. "Too bad. I was getting pretty excited too."

"Maybe there's already a new guy assigned," she guessed. "And they just didn't have time to update the school website."

"Could be." I placed the book on my nightstand, finally awake to stay on the bed much longer. "It's nearly five. Want to head up to the grounds?"

She put her laptop aside and sat up. "Good idea. All that supposed stalking made me hungry."

"I'm scared to see what will happen once you finally get a guy, and real stalking will ensue."

She only hit me at the back of my head.

* * *

It was obvious from the way the students were acting the next day that they were all excited.

In a few hours, after all, we would finally be introduced to what we came for in the first place.

You'd think the lunch ladies were serving an extra dose of coffee for breakfast. Or drinks in the form of Red Bull. Everyone looked as if they were all hyper, and I've never seen the cafeteria so full of people. For the first time since I arrived at Masen, I saw the whole of the student body. It was amazing, to say the least, and what was even more so was the fact that everyone fit inside the lunchroom.

I noticed how groups were already formed. It would be in no time at all that social cliques would be fighting for the stand, like a typical high school scene. There was a group of pretty girls who were (unsurprisingly) looking in our direction (who else do we have with us but Edward Cullen?). There was another clique which consisted of those who looked like they took school seriously; they brought heavy books (_why?_) despite it being only the second day.

From another corner of the room I could see Jasper's group of musicians, already equipped with instruments ranging from the guitar to the flute. There were the photographers who brought their big fancy cameras, the dancers who looked every single bit of graceful in every single action they do, the artists who were scribbling away in any piece of paper they could find…

I've never seen such a big group of talented people before today.

Our breakfast routine now included Edward, much to Rosalie's amusement. Today he was excited like everyone else, but being the administrator's son, he mostly already knew what to expect.

"We won't be in the same building," he said, frowning.

"We're not going to abandon you, Edward," Rosalie teased him. "We'll still meet up here for lunch."

"Unless, of course," I added. "You'll find people who you'll deem much more awesome than we are."

He snorted. "Right, because that's actually possible."

Rosalie giggled. "I hope there will be-"

"Cute guys in your class," I finished for her.

Edward laughed, rolling his eyes. "We get it, Rose."

"Think you can ask your dad to place me in a homeroom with _at least _one attractive guy to look at? Class can get really boring, you know, and I'm not lucky like you guys are to be in the same homeroom."

Edward and I only looked at each other in amusement.

"Oh, that's right," Edward suddenly said. "Speaking of my father, he told me to tell you, Bella, to not worry about today."

My eyes widened in surprise. "Why would Carlisle Cullen tell _me_, of all the people, that?"

Rosalie muttered something under her breath, something that sounded like "interacting with the in-laws already."

I kicked her under the table, for the second time this week.

"I don't know." Edward shrugged. "He didn't tell me."

"Maybe he saw how nervous you were at the interview," Rosalie suggested.

"Except I wasn't." I felt my forehead crease in confusion. "At least I thought I was fine."

"You'll be fine," Edward assured me. "You know what? Forget about what my father said, okay? This day's going to be awesome for all of us."

I bit my lip. "Sorry, I think I'm worried now."

"Hey, hey, hey," Rosalie scolded me. "We've been waiting for this day for forever, Bella, there's no time to get worried now. Everything will be just fine, you'll see. Mr. Cullen was probably just… you know, looking out for you since he knows you're friends with Edward or something."

"And you did make quite an impression during your interview," Edward quipped, smiling at me.

I've only known these two people for a few days and they're already _this… _what's that word?

Supportive? Caring? Whatever.

Creative writing hasn't even started yet and I'm already losing my touch with words.

Wow.

Thankfully, Rosalie took the liberty to change the subject. "There's going to be an assembly after lunch, am I right?"

Edward nodded. "The whole school's going to be there. Carlisle told me it's basically just an introduction to the freshmen, a formal welcoming speech of sorts. Teachers are probably going to be introduced, too."

"But this will be the last orientation, right?" she asked hopefully. "Tomorrow's the day of the party?"

I tried to hide my scowl and groan from Rosalie. Thursday was the day scheduled for the freshmen acquaintance party, and while she was looking forward to it (the reason's not at all surprising anymore), I spent my time thinking of legal excuses to get out of the event.

No such luck so far.

From the look on Edward's face, he shared the same thoughts as I did.

"Oh, you boring people!" Rosalie stated once she saw our faces. "It's going to be fun! You _are_ going, aren't you?"

"Jasper's on his way here." I ignored her question. Edward seemed a little relieved, too.

"Came here to wish you luck," Jasper said as he approached. He grinned at Edward once he saw him. "Hi, I'm Jasper. The blonde over here's older brother. You're the Cullen kid, right?"

Edward forced a smile. "Call me Edward."

"Right, well," he continued. "I'm here to tell you good luck and not to worry. The teacher's here are cool as hell."

His "not to worry" statement suddenly made me think of Carlisle and his own"not to worry" reminder.

I shook my head, focusing back on the conversation.

I overthink stuff more times than I'd like to admit.

* * *

**Building One - Film and Creative Writing Department, Masen's School for the Arts**

The teachers at Masen should really get reprimanded for their punctuality.

It has been thirty minutes since I've said good-bye to Rose and Edward, and twenty since I've successfully located the classroom. Methinks everyone was already present save for the teacher. Maybe I was right last night and the school couldn't find a suitable teacher for Creative Writing after all?

Bummer.

Sighing impatiently, I decided to study and memorize the faces of my peers. So far, none of them looked intimidating enough to make me dread this class. They all brought books and tiny notebooks like I did, which made me feel a little less alien. Back in Forks, I was known as the the person who read books "for fun", which, for my old classmates, was an abnormal thing to do for a girl in their generation.

But seeing the people now…

I felt like I belonged for once.

It has been minutes since the second bell rang, and I was beginning to feel a little bit frustrated. Couldn't at least someone like Mr. Cullen take over and inform us that a teacher would not be arriving? At least I wouldn't have to wait for anything anymore.

Suddenly the whole class sat up in attention as a teacher came rushing in the room. "Sorry! Sorry!" she was crying, in a voice that was annoyingly familiar. Her hair flung wildly, covering her face, but I knew by the sound of her voice that I'd know her anywhere.

My heart stopped at the sight of her, suddenly understanding Mr. Cullen's earlier reminder.

Because, standing right in front of the class, was Renee Dwyer.

My mother.


	5. Chapter 5

Thanks for reading the last chapter! I tried to get this out as soon as I could since school starts in a day :( Thank you for reviewing and adding this to your alerts/favourites! You have no idea how much it means to me!

**Oh, no. I'm not Stephenie Meyer, so Twilight? Not mine.**

* * *

**Pens and Palettes**

**Chapter Five - Renee**

**Building One - Film and Creative Writing Department, Masen's School for the Arts**

All I could do was stare at the woman in front of us in shock.

"Sorry I'm late, class," she apologized. "I was finishing some… _business_, if you know what I mean." She winked for effect.

My jaw dropped in horror at her remark. Everyone else around me was giggling at her joke, despite the unprofessionalism of it all.

They wouldn't be laughing if it were their mother standing in front of them. They wouldn't be laughing if they unexpectedly found out that the mother they had not seen for years showed up suddenly to be the teacher of your supposed-to-be favorite class. They wouldn't be laughing if their mom actually acted normal for once to at least let you know she's going to be teaching in your boarding school.

Nothing could be more humiliating than this.

"First things first," she said. "My name's Renee Dwyer, and if-" she stopped as she called on someone who was raising her hand. "Yes, dear?"

"You're the writer of the famous _Along the Road _series, aren't you?"

Renee beamed. "I didn't think kids your age read those kind of books, but yes, I am, among other things."

I rolled my eyes, thankful that I was at the back of the room so she couldn't see me do so. Of course she would say such a thing. My mother wrote _adult_ novels, so she was bound to make a green joke every now and then.

The thought sickened me, and even more so since I noticed how most of my classmates' faces lit up at the mention of her series.

Ugh.

I hate my life.

"So!" she continued, sounding unusually cheerful considering this was Renee we were talking about. "Congratulations for getting into Masen! I know you're all here for a particular talent, a talent we all have in common! To be honest, like you, I only just got into this school, so it will be a learning experience for all of us!"

No kidding, Renee. I slumped lower in my seat.

"And actually," she proceeded to say. "I decided to become a part of the Masen's School for the Arts teaching staff for one particular reason! My daughter recently got accepted here, too, and so I saw this as the perfect opportunity to bond over a common passion! Isabella, honey, where are you?"

_Wait, what?_

Her eyes scanned the room while I tried unsuccessfully to make myself disappear. I grimaced when she actually spotted me at the back, eyes bright and welcoming like she hadn't walked out on me and Charlie all those years ago.

She could be an actress, too, if she tried hard enough.

"There you are!" she exclaimed. "My daughter, Isabella Swan!"

All eyes were now on me. I forced a smile on my face. "Er, hi, mom," I said weakly.

Forget what I said earlier. I stand corrected.

I was practically mortified.

* * *

The morning seemed to drag on.

I was upset more than anything, mainly because this day hadn't gone they way I hoped it to be.

For starters, there were too much questions in my head to actually pay attention to what my mother was saying in front of the class. How did she get into Masen in such a short notice? Did she and Phil permanently move into Chicago? Does Charlie even know she's here? Why is she trying to ruin my life by being in the only place I expected her to stay away?

"I'm going to give you all a break so you'll enjoy your first weekend here at Masen," she was saying, making everyone in the room (except for me, of course) cheer. "We'll start with our first activity next week, so be prepared with your pens!"

For the hundredth time that day, I scoffed silently at her words.

She dismissed class without even acknowledging me. Not even a smile or a wave goodbye, all the while proving that the episode earlier was just for show. And, for some reason, as much as I didn't care about Renee, her actions annoyed me and made me increasingly angry for our whole situation.

Without a second thought, I walked to her table.

"What are you doing here?" I asked without a feat. "And don't even try to tell me that you're here for _me_, because you and I both know that's not true."

She looked up from whatever she was doing. "Is that how one person talks to their mother?"

"You lost your right to be my mother when you walked out on me and Charlie and you know it." I sounded disrespectful and I knew it, but at this point I almost didn't care anymore.

Showing up here was the last straw.

The glare she sent me was similar to all the ones she gave me throughout the years. It didn't scare me anymore. I merely stared at her with a cold look on my face. "Whether you like it or not," she said finally. "I'm still your mother, Isabella."

"Don't call me that."

"_I _named you that."

"That seems to be the only thing you've ever done for me."

She sighed, clearly frustrated. Good. "Go have your lunch, _Isa_bella. You'll be late for the assembly this afternoon. I could get you expelled for talking back to a teacher. You're just a student, remember? Don't forget that."

As much as I hated to admit it, she was right.

"That's hypocritical of you to say." I stared at her for a long moment, before turning my back to her. "You were supposed to be my mother before everything else, but clearly _you _forgot that."

I bolted out the door as quickly as I could.

* * *

Since the cafeteria in the academics building was closed from Wednesday to Friday, Edward, Rosalie, and I found ourselves in the same cafe I met Jasper a few days ago.

Edward and Rosalie noticed how quiet I was being and didn't say anything until I dazed off for what seemed like the fifth time.

"What's wrong, B?" Rosalie asked. "And don't even try to deny whatever it is you're feeling because we can clearly see it on your face."

Edward silently agreed beside her.

"It's okay," I waved them off. "I'll be fine."

Edward reluctantly spoke. "Does it have to do anything with what my father said earlier?"

I nodded, but decided on telling them later. Much, much later. "I wouldn't want to trouble you. It's all right."

"Rosalie already troubles us with her desperate attempt to find men," Edward said, earning him a smack from Rosalie. "I'm sure we can take one more problem."

"Maybe we can help," Rosalie offered. "You never know, we might have experienced the same problem before."

I doubted it; they both looked too happy to be experiencing the same family issues. I smiled, anyway, to let them know how much I appreciated their concern. "I-"

The bell rang suddenly. Was it one hour already?

We all stood up from the booth we were sitting on, but Rosalie shot me a look that clearly said, "We're not finished here." I only nodded solemnly, knowing that I had no choice and that it's probably a good idea to be telling them anyway.

Besides, they both made it clear that they wouldn't allow me to face this problem alone.

My heart swelled a little.

Edward led us to the school auditorium, all the while looking back at me to see how I was coping. I merely shrugged, because I didn't want them to worry when they shouldn't be.

Ugh.

Why did Renee ruin what was supposed to be an awesome day?

We positioned ourselves at the front of the building, where the freshmen were supposed to be seated. I noticed my classmates from Creative Writing earlier, and they all giggled when they saw me. I didn't know if being friendly was their true intention, but they waved at me nonetheless. I had to wave in return for fear of looking cold in front of them.

The auditorium grew noisier as students from different years entered. It was only after ten minutes that Edward's father stepped onto the stage, and everyone grew quiet at the sight at him.

"Students," Carlisle greeted, smiling widely. I could've sworn I heard half of the female population sigh. "Or, as I'd like to call you fortunate people, scholars. Welcome once again to the Masen's School for the Arts!"

There was applause. Carlisle then acknowledged the teaching staff of the school, then my eyes landed to the very front of the seats. The faculty and staff were seated right in front of the freshmen, and I could see the familiar light brown hair of my mother.

I drowned out what Carlisle was saying as the questions from earlier once again flooded my mind. _What are you doing here, mother?_ _Haven't you made my life miserable already?_

I was snapped back to reality when Edward silently nudged my arm, asking with his eyes if I was alright. I nodded just as Carlisle was announcing the teachers' names one by one…

Once he reached the special departments, I stood up abruptly, surprising both Edward and Rosalie. "Bathroom," was all I could mutter before I ran out of the room.

"For the Creative Writing department…"

* * *

I didn't lie to Edward and Rosalie, technically. I still ended up in the bathroom, after all.

I faced one of the large mirrors, hating the resemblance I shared with the woman who abandoned her most important duty to her family. Those who remembered her back in Forks always said I looked like her, but Charlie countered them by saying I inherited my prettiest feature from him, and those were my deep brown eyes.

I always blushed when he said that, hating the attention.

Today, though, my face was flushed for a very different reason.

"You know," someone suddenly said behind me, in a voice that was almost considered angelic. "If it weren't for the fact that you look utterly depressed, I'd say you're a very vain person."

I whipped around in surprise to see a petite girl with dark, pixie-cut hair and amused black eyes. "Excuse me?"

"You've been staring at your face for a long time now."

I didn't even realize how much time has passed. "Oh."

"That's okay." She smiled apologetically. "My name's Alice, and _you _look like there's something troubling you."

I didn't even try to deny it. This day just proves how easy I am to read. "You could say that."

"You haven't told me your name yet."

"Bella," I said automatically. She was being nice to me; I could only offer her the same respect. "Bella Swan."

"Well, Bella," she said. "Whatever it is that you're thinking is getting to you pretty bad. Do you want to get out of here?"

I blinked at her forwardness. "What?"

"Yeah." She nodded enthusiastically. "Unless, of course, you want to go back to the assembly, then that's okay."

Her offer sounded good.

Actually, anything sounded good right now. "No," I answered her, surprising myself. "I'll come with you to wherever it is you're heading."

She beamed at me, lighting up her pretty face. I've learned from a long time ago that talking to strangers is not at all an advisable idea, but there was something about this girl that made me feel so sure about her.

She wound my arm with hers and practically dragged me outside. We only stopped when we saw Edward and Rosalie waiting outside for me. They noticed Alice, but they didn't say a word until I started to speak.

"Do you know someplace where we can ditch for a while?"

Edward and Rosalie looked at each other, somehow expecting this. Finally, Edward nodded. "Want to head out to the field?"

"The assembly was getting kinda boring, anyway," Rosalie said.

"Ditching it is," was the last thing Edward said before rushing outside the building with Rosalie, Alice and I running after him.


	6. Chapter 6

If I said school was the issue, would you forgive me?

No, probably not. I'm sorry D:

**Oh, no. I'm not Stephenie Meyer, so Twilight? Not mine.**

* * *

**Pens and Palettes**

**Chapter Six - Mommy Issues**

**Football field, Masen's School for the Arts**

"So…," Edward started once we were situated on the rarely used field, far away from the auditorium. We were all sat casually on the grass like what happened earlier didn't just confuse the hell out of their minds. Even Alice, who was still a complete stranger to the three of us, looked like she'd been hanging out with us the whole time. "I'm guessing this has something to do with what Carlisle said earlier?"

I nodded. "Mommy issues," I said simply. "My stupid mother just had to ruin what was supposed to be an awesome stay for me, now I have endure her for four years assuming her stupid ways won't get her kicked out of here."

"I'm not sure I understand, B," Rosalie said cautiously.

Alice silently agreed. "You said 'stupid' twice in one sentence."

Edward only prodded me to continue by smiling apologetically.

"She walked out on me and my dad when I was very young, probably three years after I was born," I told them, scowling at the memories. "Charlie tolerated her, but I didn't. I hated the fact that she left my dad because she thought he was 'too boring' to be an inspiration for her books. I would hear from her from time to time, the last time was about three weeks ago when she told us she got remarried to some baseball player."

"Sounds like a bitch," Rosalie threw in.

"She writes books?" Alice asked. "Who _is _your mother, Bella?"

"Renee Dwyer," I said. "I don't know if you've heard of her, but…"

"The writer of the adult series?" Edward's face scrunched up in recognizing the name. "I think I heard the news praising her once. No wonder you're such a good writer, Bella."

"She writes porn and almost half of my class has read her books," I grumbled. "_I'm _her daughter and I don't even want to go near them."

Alice face suddenly grew alarmed. "Are fifteen-year-olds even allowed to read those kind of books?"

"No." Rosalie shook her head. "But it's the twenty-first century, anyway. It doesn't matter anymore."

"Yikes."

"Exactly."

"We're getting way off topic here," Edward said impatiently. "I think I want to know why Bella suddenly ran out of the assembly."

"You did get us pretty worried," Rosalie informed me.

How I already got awesome friends on my first week was beyond me. "She's here. In Masen." I had to keep my face from scowling and frowning at the same time. My mind wandered back to our earlier argument. "And she's my teacher in Creative Writing, so…"

All three of them grew silent, their faces studying mine carefully.

It was Edward who broke the silence. "Did she say anything to you? You were a mess at lunch. What did she do, Bella?"

"It's nothing, really," my voice had a bit of a quiver. "I asked her what she was doing here, why she was trying to ruin my life. Again. Let's just say there was a bit of sarcasm and screaming involved. Not that I was expecting her to suddenly be all motherly, really."

Rosalie moved closer to me to give me a hug. "Hey, don't worry. We'll help you through this. No one likes monster mommies anyway."

"We could form an Anti-Renee club," Alice added. "The school needs more opportunities for extra co activities, anyway."

"Awesome," Edward said. "I'll tell my dad you suggested that."

The last comment actually made me laugh. "So, that's my story. Then I couldn't take seeing her in the assembly and so I ran to the bathroom, the closest refuge I could think of."

"Then you met me!" Alice grinned. "It was a blessing in disguise."

Edward smiled, amused. "Do tell us about yourself, Alice."

"You're not one of those I-want-Edward-Cullen bitches, are you?" Rosalie joked. "Because we simply cannot accept a bimbo in our group. And Edward over here hates the attention."

Edward pouted. "I hate it for a reason."

"So _you're _Edward Cullen," Alice snickered. "My roommate Lauren practically worships you. I wonder how she'll react to me saying I got at least one foot closer to you."

"For the sake of her sanity, don't say anything," I chuckled.

"What program are you in, Alice?" Edward changed the subject, much to our amusement.

"Dance," she answered anyway. "And a bit of choreography, too. Getting into the best school for the program is, well, the most amazing feeling ever."

"We know," Rosalie said. "I'm under film, and Edward's under arts. Bella's under writing, obviously."

Alice frowned. "Separate buildings," she sighed. "And none of you is in my homeroom either."

"We could always meet up for lunch," I offered. Rosalie nodded enthusiastically.

"Any cute boys in your class?"

Of course, Edward and I had to roll our eyes at that one, but Alice's eyes brightened up. "No, but there is this one guy in my building…"

"Lucky you! I haven't been able to spot-"

And thus began the longest thirty minutes of our lives...

Just kidding.

Needless to say we forgot about the assembly. We spent the next hours getting to know Alice and each other a little bit better, and by the time we nearly passed out from laughter, the sky was already beginning to darken. We didn't even notice the assembly being over, therefore we didn't get to notice the other students passing by.

We didn't speak anymore of Renee; her name itself was already taboo in our minds. In fact, we forgot she was the reason we met Alice in the first place and the reason how we spent the rest of the afternoon ignoring the rest of the world.

It was during that afternoon we knew we found another member to our tiny group.

"So… the freshmen acquaintance party's tomorrow night…" Rosalie tried to say casually, but the scowls that automatically formed on Edward and I's faces at the word 'party' were already proof enough that parties were a sore subject to us.

Alice looked pointedly at the both of us. "You guys are going, right? You have to!"

Oh, yeah. Alice was almost like Rosalie in every single trait, including being an optimist on all things social gathering-related.

I frowned - that action was already an answer itself.

"How many times do you get to be a freshmen, Bella?! Honestly!" she scolded me. Rosalie nodded approvingly. Edward just rolled his eyes.

"Twice?" I answered, shrugging.

Wrong answer. Rosalie hit me at the back of my head.

"Yeah, but this is Masen!" Yes, Rosalie. I know that. "The best of the best are here!"

"Cut it out, guys," Edward managed to say. "If Bella doesn't want to go, let her be."

Edward didn't say it out loud, but that statement was clearly for him too.

His phone suddenly rang, the tiny object buzzing out in his pocket as it vibrated. He stood up, studying his phone intently. "It's from my dad," he said. "Jeez, we forgot about the assembly, guys."

Alice, Rosalie and I waited for him as he took his call. A few minutes later Edward came back, looking apologetically at me.

"He wants to know how you're doing, Bella."'

"Why would Carlisle Cullen want to know how I- _oh_." I fought the urge to frown again. Thoughts of my mother resurfaced, turning what was an awesome mood to a bad one. "Tell him I'm okay, I guess."

Of course Edward's dad would know how I'd react to Renee. I practically told him about her during my interview weeks ago. He knew of my rocky history with my mother.

But, if that was the case, why would he hire my mother in the first place?

Realization suddenly dawned on me. "Edward, the teacher applications during my interview. They were for Renee, weren't they?"

All three looked at me. "What?"

"Remember? You cut us off during my interview because your uncle urgently wanted to speak to Carlisle. Carlisle said their conversation was about some teacher applications. They were talking about my mother, weren't they?"

Edward nodded his head, suddenly understanding. "Yes, I remember. I first met you that day." He cocked his head to the side. "But what's that got to do with this? What's done is done. Your mom's here, Bella."

"But why would Carlisle hire her to teach in Masen at such a short notice? You said it yourself: you didn't know Masen needed new teachers, especially those without any teaching experience. My mother writes books but that's it- she's never had to teach a class before. Why would a prestigious school like Masen look for someone with zero knowledge on teaching?"

Silence.

Because that was a pretty badass point, if I do say so myself.

Thankfully Rosalie decided to speak. "All this talk about your mom is making me agitated, B, and really annoyed for some reason."

"This is _my _mom we're talking about, Rose. You're bound to get annoyed."

"Well I say we take some time to cool down," Edward said. "It's nearly five. Do you guys want to go grab some dinner? We'll show you our favorite cafe, Alice."

Alice nodded enthusiastically. "And I'll probably just hang out with you guys afterwards. I don't want to see my roommate just yet."

"You should just move into our dorm, Alice," I suggested, making them laugh.

And just like that, annoying thoughts of Renee were already forgotten.


End file.
